Hongkong Post

Image:HKGPO1911.jpg circa 1911.]]

Merchants traded in Hong Kong on the two sides of Victoria Harbour as early as before the British possession in 1842. They complained about the absence of proper postal services and therefore the Postal Department was established.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}}

The department was founded on 28 August 1841, but the first post office (known as 書信館 at that time), situated near the current site of St. John's Cathedral, opened on 12 November 1841. At first, its right to operation belonged to the Royal Mail, until its transfer to the Postmaster General on 1 May 1860.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}}

On 8 December 1862, the office issued the first set of Hong Kong postal stamps. Before this time, only British troops in Hong Kong could use British stamps, while other local residents did not have access to British stamps. Until the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, mail for British forces serving in the then-colony used the British Forces Post Office number, BFPO 1.[https://books.google.com/books?id=ziwdAQAAMAAJ&q=%22BFPO+1%22++ The Asian Press and Media Directory], Press Foundation of Asia., 1980, page 80

The office introduced automated mail sorting in 1989, and machines were installed in the General Post Office.{{cite web|url=http://www.nec.co.jp/control/en/product/postal/solution_inte.html |title=Postal Automation (Hong Kong)|publisher=NEC|access-date=23 May 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070416143154/http://www.nec.co.jp/control/en/product/postal/solution_inte.html |archive-date = 16 April 2007}}

There is no post code system in Hong Kong, although one has been under consideration since 2000.{{cite web|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200001/12/0112212.htm|title=Postal coding system in Hong Kong |publisher=NEC|access-date=7 September 2007}}

Since August 1995, the office has operated as a trading fund and the full title of the head of the Office became "Postmaster General and general manager of the Post Office Trading Fund" ({{zh|t=香港郵政署長兼郵政署營運基金總經理}}).{{citation needed|date=December 2013}}

{{unreferenced section|date=December 2013}}

{{main|Postage stamps and postal history of Hong Kong}}

During the colonial era, Hong Kong produced postage stamps simply bearing the name Hong Kong, printed alongside the likenesses (in profile) of the reigning monarchs of the United Kingdom, or royal symbols (for example, "EIIR").

Since Hong Kong's transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997, stamps issued have borne the name "Hong Kong, China". British Hong Kong postage stamps are no longer valid for prepayment of postage and cannot be repurchased by the Post Office.

{{main|List of Hong Kong post offices}}

{{more citations needed|date=April 2014}}

As of 2023, Hongkong Post operates 122 post offices (including 3 mobile post offices) throughout Hong Kong.{{Cite web |title=Hongkong Post - Q1 |url=https://www.hongkongpost.hk/en/faq_support/network/q1/index.html |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=www.hongkongpost.hk}} The detailed locations and opening hours of the post offices are on the Hongkong Post website.

In mid-2021, Hongkong Post launched iPostal Kisok which offers an automated posting service and enables the public to post mail, purchase postage label and make postage enquiry round-the clock.{{Cite web |date=2021-12-23 |title=Technology confirms that the best is yet to come in Hongkong Post's 180-year public service history |url=https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/topics/smart-age-hongkong-post/article/3160407/technology-confirms-best-yet-come |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}} As of July 2023, there are 23 kiosks located across the city.{{Cite web |title=Using tech to propel mail service |url=http://www.news.gov.hk/eng/2023/07/20230713/20230713_184301_929.html |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=Hong Kong's Information Services Department |language=zh-hk}}

Hong Kong imported post-boxes from the UK until the practice was discontinued in the 1980s. Before 1997, the post boxes were painted red, as in the United Kingdom, and were engraved with the royal cypher – for example, "EIIR" to represent Queen Elizabeth II. According to fans of Hong Kong's history, featuring the regal insignia on many of the George V and George VI post boxes in Hong Kong are unique as they are different in design from other British post boxes in the world. Since the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997, the livery of the boxes became green, and were adorned with the new Hongkong Post logo.{{cite web|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/10/05/hongkong-post-to-cover-royal-cyphers-on-59-historic-post-boxes/|title=Hongkong Post to cover royal cyphers on 59 historic post-boxes to 'avoid confusion' |work=Hong Kong Free Press|date=5 October 2015 }}

File:Hong Kong Post street posting box number 110.jpg, made during the colonial era, but painted in green from red after 1997]]

As of October 2015, there are 1,148 free-standing post-boxes in Hong Kong; only 59 colonial post boxes bearing the royal insignia were still in service. In late 2014 Hongkong Post reaffirmed its policy that the remaining 59 colonial-era post boxes would only be replaced if they were seriously damaged or no longer meet the demand of its customers.{{cite web|url=http://www.ejinsight.com/20141021-hk-to-maintain-post-boxes-with-royal-crown/|title=Politically incorrect? HK to retain post boxes with royal crown|work=EJ Insight}}

This department of government said in March 2015 that it was considering covering up the regal insignia on these post boxes, on grounds that it was "not desirable to have postboxes that show various royal cyphers from different British reigns" and to "avoid confusion". Controversy ignited in September upon confirmation that royal cyphers would be covered up by fixing metal plates on all but seven of the historical post boxes. The decision was decried by the Conservancy Association, the Mailboxes Searching Team, and activists opposed to the push of pro-Beijing politicians to "de-colonialise" Hong Kong.{{cite web|url=http://www.ejinsight.com/20151005-hongkong-post-may-cover-up-british-insignia-on-old-mailboxes/|title=Hongkong Post may cover up British insignia on old mailboxes|work=EJ Insight}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/10/12/commerce-and-economic-dev-bureau-ordered-post-office-to-cover-royal-cyphers-in-march-lawmaker-says/|title=Commerce and Economic Dev. Bureau ordered Post Office to cover royal cyphers in March, lawmaker says|work=Hong Kong Free Press|date=12 October 2015 }} According to legislator Claudia Mo of the Civic Party, senior HK Post officials she talked with affirmed that the order to obscure regal insignia on the 59 colonial post boxes came from the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB), which Mo said pointed to a political and not administrative decision.

{{Economy of Hong Kong}}

In addition to making its income from traditional postal delivery, Hongkong Post also sells philatelic products, and is used by the Government and utility companies to accept payment from customers.

Hongkong Post Stamps was a division set up in 1974, charged with promoting and popularising stamp collecting, to meet the ever-increasing demand for Hong Kong stamps by collectors. The division conducts three main areas of work:

• stamp product design and production
• fulfilment and advance ordering service
• philatelic marketing.

Owing to the territory's conservative stamp-issuing policy, stamp collecting in Hong Kong is a popular hobby. Different types of attractively designed stamp products are also popular with stamp collectors around the world.

Since 2000, Hongkong Post is a recognized root certificate authority and issues digital certificates under the trade name "e-Cert".{{cite web |title=About Hongkong Post e-Cert |url=https://www.hongkongpost.gov.hk/about/intro/index.html |access-date=27 August 2023}}

Image:Hongkong Post AM2744 20070427.jpg delivery van]]

Hongkong Post also provides services listed below:

• Local Courier Post
• Speedpost
• Periodicals/Circular/Direct mail services
• e-Post
• e-Cert (Electronic Certificate for e-commerce)
• e-Business
• Franking machine
• Postal remittance service (to Canada, Mainland China, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal and the Philippines)
• Electronic remittance service (through Western Union)
• PayThruPost (Bill payment)
• Logistics, etc.

{{more citations needed|date=April 2014}}

• In 2005, newspapers revealed the presence of pinhole cameras in Cheung Sha Wan Post Office, and this was perceived as a violation of people's privacy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200506/18/06180266.htm|title=Pinhole cameras installed in Cheung Sha Wan Post Office|publisher=Government of Hong Kong|access-date=6 March 2018}} Hongkong Post explained that the cameras were necessary for facilitating police investigations into several suspected theft cases.{{Cite news|url=http://www.scmp.com/article/720575/privacy-chiefs-spy-camera-run|title=Privacy chief's spy camera run-in|work=South China Morning Post|access-date=6 March 2018}}
• In March 2007, two postal staff lost three bags of mail, destined for Wan Chai and the Eastern District, in the management offices of Hongkong Post buildings. Although Hongkong Post eventually found one of the lost bags, 400 letters were reportedly lost.
• In December 2019, Hongkong Post made a notable announcement regarding a modification to one of its new stamp designs. The original design featured black-clad children and the Hongkong Post stated the changes were solely made for aesthetic reasons. But online commentators argued that this change was likely an attempt to avoid any resemblance between black-clad children with anti-government protesters at the time.{{Cite web |title=Stamping out protests? Hong Kong Post changes stamp featuring black-clad children {{!}} Coconuts |url=https://coconuts.co/hongkong/news/stamping-out-protests-hong-kong-post-changes-stamp-featuring-black-clad-children/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=coconuts.co/ |language=en-US}}
• As the demand for delivery services during the coronavirus pandemic surged since November 2020, scammers have cheated more than 100 Hongkongers out of HKD $2.2 million through phishing text messages and emails claiming to be from Hongkong Post.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-10 |title=Scammers steal HK$2.2 million with fake Hongkong Post messaging scheme |url=https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3124853/scammers-steal-hk22-million-fake-hongkong-post-messaging |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=Young Post}}

• Winner of the 2005 "Hong Kong Awards for Industries – Productivity and Quality Award" for achievement in productivity enhancement and total quality management.{{cite web|url=http://www.hongkongpost.com/eng/about/achievements/2006/02/pq/index.htm |title=Hongkong Post Wins the 2005 Hong Kong Awards for Industries – Productivity and Quality Award |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070222223427/http://www.hongkongpost.com/eng/about/achievements/2006/02/pq/index.htm |archive-date=22 February 2007 }}
• Winner of the Caring Organisation Logo 2005/06 by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service.
• Winner of the Gold Level Certification in the Universal Postal Union EMS Cooperative Audit and Measurement Programme 2005.
• Winner of the Web Care Award 2005 – Gold Prize from Internet Professional Association.
• Guinness World Record holder for the largest stamp mosaic.{{cite web|url=http://www.hongkongpost.com/eng/publications/annual/2005_2006/section6c/index.htm |title=Promoting A Strong Brand Identity |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928070545/http://www.hongkongpost.com/eng/publications/annual/2005_2006/section6c/index.htm |archive-date=28 September 2007 }}

File:List of Postmasters General, Hong Kong.jpg, showing a list of the Postmasters General of Hong Kong between 1841 and 2003]]

Image:Hongkong Post Large Letter Box.JPG|A large letter box found at Tsim Sha Tsui

Image:HongkongPostVendingMachine.jpg|An ordinary stamp vending machine located at a post office

Image:PLVM TSTPO.jpg|A postage label vending machine located at Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office. Postage labels are instantly-printed stamps with customisable or pre-set postage fees. It was discontinued and then removed in summer 2008.

{{Portal|Hong Kong}}

• Chunghwa Post
• China Post
• Correios de Macau
• List of postal services abroad
• List of Hong Kong companies
• Royal Mail – operated in Hong Kong from 1841 to 1870

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• Stanley Gibbons Ltd.: various catalogues
• {{Cite web |url=http://www.askphil.org/b25.htm |title=AskPhil – Glossary of Stamp Collecting Terms |access-date=13 July 2013 |archive-date=23 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523234545/http://www.askphil.org/b25.htm |url-status=bot: unknown }}
• {{Cite web |url=http://www.jl.sl.btinternet.co.uk/stampsite/home.html |title=Encyclopaedia of Postal History |access-date=16 April 2007 |archive-date=10 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010153223/http://www.jl.sl.btinternet.co.uk/stampsite/home.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}
• Stuart Rossiter & John Flower: The Stamp Atlas
• Webb, F. W. (1961) The Philatelic and Postal History of Hong Kong and the Treaty Ports of China and Japan, The Royal Philatelic Society London

{{refend}}

{{Commons category|Hongkong Post}}

• {{Official website|https://www.hongkongpost.hk|Hongkong Post official website}}
• {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/*/http://info.gov.hk:80/hkpo/|title=Hongkong Post}}
• [http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_ind.nsf/e1bf50c09a33d3dc482564840019d2f4/f16ef98ef6ce23bcc82564800027d0cf?OpenDocument Chapter 98 POST OFFICE ORDINANCE in the Law of Hong Kong]
• [https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=208097064092315584558.00046ced54d8218175911&msa=0 香港舊郵筒地圖 Hong Kong Old Postboxes Map]

{{Commerce and Economic Development Bureau}}

{{Government of Hong Kong}}

{{China Postal System}}

{{Postal administrations of Asia}}

{{authority control}}

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Category:Companies established in 1841

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